Song Yet Sung
“Song Yet Sung” by James McBride is a historical fiction novel published by Riverhead Books in 2009. This reprint edition spans 369 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows Liz Spocott, a runaway slave who escapes into the swamps of Maryland’s eastern shore just before the Civil War. As she navigates her perilous journey, the story unfolds a complex drama involving slave catchers, plantation owners, and free blacks, all while Liz grapples with visions of the future and the weight of her circumstances.
Readers will find a richly detailed account that intertwines historical events with McBride’s lyrical storytelling. The novel explores themes of violence, hope, and the human spirit’s resilience through Liz’s flight and her use of “the Code,” a secret communication method among slaves. As the characters around her are drawn into her quest for freedom, the narrative reveals a tapestry of tragic triumphs and unexpected acts of kindness, making it a profound exploration of the struggles faced during this tumultuous period.
Official synopsis Publisher
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction, Deacon King Kong, Five-Carat Soul, and Kill ‘Em and Leave, a James Brown biography.
In the days before the Civil War, a runaway slave named Liz Spocott breaks free from her captors and escapes into the labyrinthine swamps of Maryland’s eastern shore, setting loose a drama of violence and hope among slave catchers, plantation owners, watermen, runaway slaves, and free blacks. Liz is near death, wracked by disturbing visions of the future, and armed with “the Code,” a fiercely guarded cryptic means of communication for slaves on the run. Liz’s flight and her dreams of tomorrow will thrust all those near her toward a mysterious, redemptive fate.
Filled with rich, true details–much of the story is drawn from historical events–and told in McBride’s signature lyrical style, Song Yet Sung is a story of tragic triumph, violent decisions, and unexpected kindness.
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